The best cheap smartwatches are the saving grace for anyone on a budget, who’s still in need of a time-tracking device with some digital bells and whistles thrown in.
Even a basic smartwatch has a lot more than just a digital interface, adding in bespoke applications for smartwatch operating systems, a host of fitness capabilities, and sometimes even some more traditional clock faces for those after a semi-smart hybrid model.
Sports-minded smartwatches may be fully waterproof and sweatproof, with heart-rate trackers and counters that add up your steps throughout the day; others are built for sending you notifications, downloading and streaming music, or even enabling calls.
But the one thing joining all the entries on this list is that they’re all (relatively) cheap, meaning they’re largely entry-level models from across the likes of Samsung, Google, Garmin, and Fitbit – plus one Apple Watch model if you can stretch that far.
Best cheap smartwatches at a glance
- Best for fitness tracking: Fitbit Versa 2 - £89, Argos
- Best for Apple lovers: Apple Watch SE - 3259, John Lewis
- Best for kids: Garmin Vivofit Jr 3 - £79.99, Garmin
- Best for runners: Garmin Forerunner 45 - £115.75, Amazon
- Best for style: Withings Steel HR - £180, Currys
- Best for Samsung phone owners: Samsung Galaxy Watch4 - £199, Currys
- Best for value: Huawei Band 3 Pro - £74.99, Amazon
- Best for price: Amazfit BIP 3 Pro - £69, Very
If you’re in the market for a new smartwatch, we’ve rounded up some of the best options that won’t break the bank.
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Fitbit Versa 2
Best for: Fitness tracking
Diameter: 40mm
Water resistance: 50m
Cellular: No
Battery life: 4 days
Fitbit’s Versa 2 smartwatch is still well worth a look, even if newer, flashier versions have since made it to market.
At less than £100, this is a great price for a fitness-focused smartwatch, whether you’re taking it on runs and bike rides, counting your steps, or tracking how well you sleep throughout the night. Fitbit boasts that you can download over 300 songs onto the smartwatch itself, though when it comes to Spotify it only acts as a remote control for the app running on your phone.
With a rounded square design, and AMOLED display, it can just about pass for an Apple Watch at a distance, too. Just keep in mind that there’s no GPS or voice calling functionality here, meaning you’ll need a phone with you for tracking distances, your location, or calling your mum.
Buy now £89.00, Fitbit
Apple Watch SE
Best for: Apple lovers
Diameter: 41mm, 45mm
Water resistance: Yes
Cellular: Available
Battery life: 1-2 days
Yes, even the cheapest Apple Watch will be a little pricey for some, but for those wedded to the Apple ecosystem, sporting an iPhone, AirPods and AirTags on their person, the Apple Watch is the perfect complement for their wrist.
This slick, lightweight model features the full watchOS operating system, with waterproofing for shallow swimming sessions (up to 50m). That’s alongside the usual suite of fall detection, crash detection, heart-rate tracking and cardio fitness notifications – though you’ll need a higher-spec model to get pulse oxygen tracking and other, more specialist fitness features.
Buy now £259.99, John Lewis & Partners
Garmin Vivofit Jr 3
Best for: Kids
Size: Fits 130-175mm wrist
Water resistance: 50m
Cellular: No
Battery life: Up to one year
Why splash out on a smartwatch that a kid will likely only break? These durable fitness trackers are built for the knocks and tumbles of an active childhood, with a replaceable battery that should last you up to one year. Better yet, a tie-in app will let parents set tasks and reminders, if they need a little gamified encouragement to wash the dishes.
Buy now £79.99, Garmin
Garmin Forerunner 45
Best for: Runners
Diameter: 39, 42mm
Water resistance: 50m
Cellular: No
Battery life: 7 days
The Garmin Forerunner 45 is a go-to choice for those after a running smartwatch on a budget, packing in an always-on colour display and five buttons along the dial for easily accessing timers and marking laps during workouts.
A lot of the more stylistic choices on this list make do with a single button instead, so this is very much the option for those who want immediate functions to hand. It’s missing a few more advanced features found in the Forerunner 55 – like women’s health tracking, and a much longer battery life – but you’ll find the basics covered here for considerably less cash.
Buy now £115.75, Amazon
Withings Steel HR
Best for: Style
Diameter: 36, 40mm
Water resistance: 50m
Cellular: No
Battery life: 1 month
The Withings Steel HR is a brilliant choice for those who like the look and feel of traditional smartwatches, but want a couple of modern features thrown in. The Steel HR utilizes a standard clock face, complete with hour and minute hands – digitally controlled so the time is always in sync with your smartphone.
A circular micro-screen can cycle through the date, time, pedometer, heart rate, calorie estimate, and distance walked. The watch will also automatically detect when you’re running or swimming, and can lightly buzz your wrist with smartphone notifications or gentle morning alarms.
So if you want those digital conveniences without the hassle of managing tons of apps, this is the smartwatch for you.
Buy now £180.00, Currys
Samsung Galaxy Watch4
Best for: Samsung phone owners
Diameter: 40, 44mm
Water resistance: 50m
Cellular: Available
Battery life: Up to 40 hours
The Samsung Galaxy Watch4 is a great low-cost smartwatch, using an altered version of the Wear OS platform that packs in innumerable wearable apps from the Google Play Store.
With GPS, and the ability to monitor your heart rate and blood oxygen, there’s plenty to recommend it as a fitness device. It’s not quite as flashy as the Apple Watch SE, but you’re getting about twice the battery life – so who’s the real winner here.
Buy now £199.00, Currys
Huawei Band 3 Pro
Best for: Value
Size: 0.95-inch screen
Water resistance: 50m
Cellular: No
Battery life: 1-2 weeks
The Huawei Band 3 Pro may be more of a fitness tracker than a smartwatch outright, but there’s no denying how much it achieves in its compact sizing – with step and sleep tracking, an always-on clock display, and even the ability to receive notifications on its 0.95-inch touchscreen.
Given the bargain price, it’s a sound choice for those wanting the key features of a good smartwatch for as little cash as possible, while looking good at the same time.
Buy now £74.99, Amazon
Amazfit BIP 3 Pro
Best for: Price
Size: 44mm
Water resistance: 50m
Cellular: No
Battery life: 1-2 weeks
With a simple interface, large display, and GPS tracking, the Amazfit BIP 3 Pro is a great beginner-friendly smartwatch with the basics of fitness tracking covered. One big perk is how well it integrates with other services, meaning you can send your fitness data to Strava or the Apple Health app on iOS. Just be warned that it doesn’t have quite the polish, or comfort of fancier models.
Buy now £69.00, Very
Verdict
It’s a hard call to make, but we have to crown the Fitbit Versa 2 as the best cheap smartwatch here. It supports both the core experience of fitness tracking and the beginnings of proper smart capability and apps, including the ability to download music to your wrist companion. It’s not as independent as some other, pricier models on this list – lacking built-in GPS, for one – but a slick style and confident feature set make it a great sub-£100 option.
